You guys have me very paranoid. Shifting issue

[bruceb58]

Another thing to think about, newer ESAs don't use the overstroke switch. They have a timer instead which is a way better ESA. Back in the early 90s I upgraded the ESA to this type. The way the new one plugs into your harness, it automatically bypasses the overstroke switch. That way, if your overstroke switch is your problem, it gets it out of the circuit.

 

[autotec]

Just a little update on this strange issue.

I spent a lot of time checking every single component in the ignition system, along with checking resistance in every wire. What I came up with is first a faulty tach, and second and faulty/iffy ESA module. The tach I can't explain, except when it was connected, all of the problems were there with either the ESA module or when it was wired like a Mercruiser. I robbed one of my friends boats and installed his tach and all issues went away. I'll have to source a new tach and give his back.

I thought it was fixed after the new tach, but as the boat heated up, the ESA started to not work. Tested everything again, and it has to be the module. I cut the connectors off of the module and built a harness to just use the ESA switch so all I have to do is plug the new module in. After a entire day on the water with the module bypassed, everything worked great. I'll order a new module and get it back to factory this week.

I just want to say thank you for all of the help, you guys are great. Thanks, Justin.

 

[Lou C]

And thanks for your feed back, it helps us to help others. BTW, on some Faria tachs, a metal strip can shift out of position, and actually short the ignition circuit. I read this on a Seaswirl board. Did your boat have a Faria tach?

 

[autotec]

And thanks for your feed back, it helps us to help others. BTW, on some Faria tachs, a metal strip can shift out of position, and actually short the ignition circuit. I read this on a Seaswirl board. Did your boat have a Faria tach?

Not a problem. I always figure to contribute when I can. Not sure on the brand, I'll have to look when I get home. Mine was shorted. Last night after I wrote that post, I played around a little bit more. As soon as I hooked the old tach up, the engine changed tune and dropped about 100 rpm. So something is going on in there.

 

[autotec]

And thanks for your feed back, it helps us to help others. BTW, on some Faria tachs, a metal strip can shift out of position, and actually short the ignition circuit. I read this on a Seaswirl board. Did your boat have a Faria tach?

Yes, it had the Faria tach. I finally dug it out of the garbage to check. So I'm guessing that was half of my problem.

 

[lenko]

My 1987 Bayliner 2150 with OMC Cobra 305 was updated with the newer cables and shift arm years ago but I was having shift problems all along. I installed the Petronics electronic ignition and did the diode fix and had the ESA replaced, but that didn't help the hard shifting issue - especially coming out of reverse. In 2011 I replaced the lower shift cable and did all the tool adjustments and it worked for a season but then started to hard shift again - even with a new Teleflex CH1700 side mount shifter. I also purchased a new ESA from CDI CDI p/n 123-9800. I had read that this was the latest and CDI assured me that it would work with my Petronics ignition and that I could discard the Diode fix as the new ESA electronics took care of that. Over winter I installed the Teleflex Extreme cables CCX63314 and CCX 63313 and the new CDI ESA 123-9800.
Recently I went to set up the shift linkages and disconnected the lower shift cable to try and determine the neutral and forward (in gear) and reverese (in gear) settting. I could pull the cable to engage the forward gear, but could not push it back to get reverse. After fooling with this for a while I decided to pull the leg.
This relatively new lower shift cable was sticking. I disconnected the core wire and pulled it out the back. It was covered with a grease that felt tacky and sticky almost like glue. I cleaned this with a degreaser and I shot automotive carb cleaner down the cable hole a number of times and blew it out with pressurized air a number of times. I put some light engine assembly grease on the core wire and fed it up the cable from the leg side with pliers and greased it as it went up.
I cleaned all the bell crank and shift parts at the leg and set the bell crank angle at 90 Deg. with the tool and connected the cable at the engine side with the 7 and 9/16" setting with that tool.The barrel trunnion was set at 6 1/2" from the connect pin hole. I checked the shift arm in the lower outdrive and it was at the 7 13/64" height as required.
Having read where the retainer threads on the lower shift cable may have been machined crooked I inserted a same size bolt and could see it was crooked. I ground the face of the retainer so it would sit more flush on the sliding block and the reassembled and greased the entire mechanism there. We put the drive back together and now I could pull the shift cable into reverse and forward effortlessly. Slick as a whistle- very little effort. Another thing I did was remove the anchor block where the barrel trunnion sits and took the V spring off the block and bent the two arms outward so it would be stronger and return the neutral switch roller back to the V more positively. I put a small plastic washer on the anchor block bolt so it wouldn't slide in and out.
After this I did the 5 steps of the Engine Shift bracket Adjustment.
I tested this at the lake and was absolutely amazed at how it shifted and that I finally got it to be like many on these forums said it should be.
I think it was the sticky cable, 1239898P ESA (replaced with 123-9800), the retainer that was machined crooked and a weakened V spring that caused all my hard shifting. The new Teleflex CH1700 and the Extreme cables likely helped, but I think it would have worked well with the old Morse shifter and old cables.
I'm not the mechanic so to get this accomplished feels very gratifying and I wish to thank all who have contributed all their knowledge and expertise in the various posts.

 

[Lou C]

Great feedback and that's why I say as part of the adjustment process you have to measure cable drag. BTW, was that an OE cable or aftermarket?

 

[lenko]

It was a "TM2245 Shift Cable Assembly for OMC Cobra Sterndrive" as described on the invoice from Tungsten Marine Parts, LLC. I think it's a Sierra which replaces OMC part 987661. The previous one was the red OMC upgrade back in 1988 or 89 when OMC recalled the black ones. You would think that someone would have been aware of the faulty grease and produced a much better cable. My boat is summer use only and still in great shape as I look after it and the cable was not faulty from abuse. I did use some automotive engine assembly grease on the core wire to make it slick like it is.If anyone knows of a better lower shift cable - let me know as I would snap that up quickly. If I ever do replace this type of cable I will surely pull the core wire and clean and grease it myself, before I install it.
The improvement in cable drag was astounding.

 

[bruceb58]

The core wire does not come greased and you should not be greasing it.

 

[jerryjerry05]

The ESA WILL activate going into F or R if the shift cable is corroded or sticky.
The bellcrank bushing could be corroded and it will make the shifting hard and possibly bend the bellcrank.
Remove the drive and clean and grease the bellcrank and shift mechanism..

 

[lenko]

The core wire does not come greased and you should not be greasing it.

Initially the core wire was not greased by me. I bought it new and when I eventually pulled the wire out after just a few weeks of use, there was stick gummy grease all over it. How did that get in there? I cleaned this and then greased it and now it shifts perfect - like its never done before. I agree that you should not have to be greasing it, but obviously Sierra or GLM or whoever is manufacturing these cables isn't providing a quality product. A little innovation on my part made a HUGE difference, but if there is a company that has an improved shift cable I surely would like to hear about it.

 

[Lou C]

Honestly I'd only use OE for things like bellows, shift cables etc as long as I can get the OE. My boat has an OE cable in it that is more than 10 years old and when I checked the drag last spring it was 1.5 lbs. Try www.crowleymarinedotcom

 

[bruceb58]

I would only use the OE shift cable. I can tell you for a fact that they are not greased,.

 

[lenko]

Thanks or the advice Lou C and Bruceb58. I'll try and hunt down an OE cable and use it if and when this present cable quits working so flawlessly. Pulling the leg ain't no fun as I've done it 3 times in the last 4 or 5 years.

 

[bruceb58]

Pulling the leg ain't no fun as I've done it 3 times in the last 4 or 5 years.

I pull my drive every year. Just part of maintaining the drive.

 

[Lou C]

Yep in salt water every year or else.
You're not just pulling the drive to do that job, the pivot housing has to come all the way off. Replace the bellows and that small water hose while you're at it. Get the 3 OMC tools from Crowley Marine or Midnight Wolf and learn how to set up the cable yourself. Wind up with a nice shifting (2 finger pressure) Cobra.....

 

[lenko]

Yep in salt water every year or else.
You're not just pulling the drive to do that job, the pivot housing has to come all the way off. Replace the bellows and that small water hose while you're at it. Get the 3 OMC tools from Crowley Marine or Midnight Wolf and learn how to set up the cable yourself. Wind up with a nice shifting (2 finger pressure) Cobra.....

Just lake stuff for me (Inland Alberta), Right now I have nice shift- little pressure- probably two finger. An enormous difference from what it was. Could barely get it out of reverse before. Must have finally set it up right. The CDI people were right when they told me that the new interrupter, 123-9800 was much improved and took care of a lot of the shifting problems. Will check out Midnight Wolf.

 

[autotec]

Great advice guys. I have my new module sitting on the shelf waiting for winter to come so I can install it along with a few other parts. I have had the boat out almost every weekend since I first posted this issue with it "wired like a Merc", and haven't had any issues. But I am a FIRM believer to leave things like this as delivered, so the module will go back in. For now though, my daughter and I are having fun in the boat while we still have a few good weeks left.